Sixty
years ago on June 19, 1942, the 1st Ranger Battalion was
officially activated. The two men most noted with this anniversary
are General Truscott and then Captain William Darby.

It
was therefore fitting that the organization that was destined to
be the first of the American Ground Forces to battle Germans on
the European continent should be called Rangers in compliment to
those in American history who exemplified the high standards of
courage, initiative, determination and ruggedness, fighting
ability and achievement.

General
Truscott

William
Orlando Darby was a graduate of West Point,
he was the founder and
leader of the Original American Rangers. He screened hundreds of
applicants (Rangers were strictly volunteer) and organized the 1st
Battalion in North Ireland. He was the head of the 34th Infantry
Division in Ireland at the time and was chosen by Truscott to
create the first Ranger Battalion.

He
toured many training camps in the area and with the help of a
handful of carefully chosen officers, chose the facility at
Achnacarry Scotland. A group of
approximately 500 volunteers was chosen from units training
in Ireland at the time. The majority of this first Battalion was
from the five state area of MN, IA, WI, ND, and SD. The heaviest
concentration of living Rangers from the 1st Battalion, still
resides in this area.

These
early Rangers were put
through grueling training and 25 mile speed marches every morning. Many Rangers
were injured and one was killed in training so realistic,
they actually used live ammunition. Of the 600 chosen and
trained, 500 remained after their experience at Achnacarry.

The
museum noted in the left margin is in memory of this infamous
group of men officially activated 19 June 42. There
will be a wreath laying ceremony at Carrickfergus 12 June
2002 to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the activation of the
1st Ranger Battalion. (There is no explanation for the discrepancy
in the date.)

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